The Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) hosted its annual awards night recently at the Killeshin Hotel, in Portlaoise.

Large crowds gathered for some of the best breeders and handlers to collect their awards.

There were three different award categories celebrating some of the best animals, breeders, and handlers from the 2025 season.

All-Ireland

The event kicked off with the 'All Ireland Awards', which was based on the overall quality of an animal demonstrated at recognised shows during the year.

12 different categories were awarded as champion, reserve champion, and honourable mention.

The winners are as follows:

Enda Doran's Dalevalley Parfect Aiko 282 was named the best heifer born on or after February 1, 2025;
The McLoughney family had the best heifer born on or after December 1, 2024 with Grangecon Doorman Iowa;
The best heifer born on or after September 1, 2024 was Brian Corley's Cornboro Goldchip Carla;
The Hynes family had the best heifer born on or after June 1, 2024 with Rathard Sidekick Jagerbomb;
Enda Doran also had the best heifer born on or after January 1, 2024 with Dalevalley Lambda Aiko 2255;
Padraic Greenan's Greenlea Hurricane ISA was crowned All-Ireland Heifer in milk born between January 1 and December 31, 2023;
Richard Kingston's Cradenhill O'Leila ET IMP was then crowned All-Ireland three-year-old cow in milk born between January 1 and December 31, 2022.

Other winners included the following: All-Ireland four- year-old cow in milk born between January 1 and December 31, 2021 went to Paul Murphy and Emma Behan's Coolroehouse Abbott Ann.

Hallow Octain Twizzle and Philip Jones picked up the award for All-Ireland five-year-old cow in milk born between January 1 and December 31, 2020.

Meanwhile Liam and Sandra Murphy's Evergreen Susie Mist 26 RC was crowned All-Ireland Mature Cow in Milk born on or before December 31, 2019.

The award of Irish pure Friesian (heifer in milk) went to Trevor Dudley and his Kilsunny Ruby 209.

Michael Spillane's Mountain Martini Rosie 5 claimed the title of Irish Pure Friesian (cow in milk).

The Young Members Association then gave out its presidents medal award, with Co. Kerry club member Christopher Heffernan being named the winner.

IHFA Master Breeder

The prestigious Master Breeder awards which were sponsored by Munster Bovine and Progressive Genetics came next.

This award, which is now in its third year, celebrates breeders whose herds who have an array of preforming metrics paired with very few weakness, if any.

The winners of the award on the night are as follows;

Robert Shannon (Co. Cork);
Patrick Noel O'Donovan (Co. Cork);
Eddie O'Flynn (Co. Cork);
John O'Callaghan (Co. Cork);
Daniel O'Leary (Co. Cork);
Rickey Barret (Co. Cork);
Andrew Cronin (Co. Cork);
Henry O'Keefe (Co. Cork);
Ian Robert McKeague (Co. Donegal);
Colin Walsh (Co. Dublin);
Maurice Harty (Co. Kerry);
William Horgan (Co. Kerry);
John Galvin (Co. Kerry);
Ronan Siochru Jnr. (Co. Kerry);
Kevin Doran (Co. Kildare);
Timothy Fitzgerald (Co. Laois);
Edward Fitzgerald (Co. Limerick);
Paul Hannan (Co. Limerick);
Tom Lynch (Co. Limerick);
Padraic Greenan (Co. Monaghan).

The IHFA also celebrated the retirement of Gurteen's assistant farm manager and dairy technician, Richard Hamilton following a career which spanned 51 years while promoting pedigree Holsteins.